Description: Papers of Arthur Eugene Bestor, Jr., professor of history (1947-62) and President and Director of the Council for Basic Education, containing family papers (1852-1956), genealogies, photographs, clippings, correspondence, Bible, autograph albums and diaries; student notes from Yale (1927-37) and teaching notes from Yale, Columbia and Stanford (1937-44) on history, English and American literature, philosophy, humanities, mathematics, music and American civilization; bio-bibliography (1908-62); biographical (1900-50), including family yearbooks and alumni publications;
. . . morepublications (1925-61), including manuscripts, reprints and proofs of articles, reviews, published letters, transcripts and reports of interviews and manuscripts and reviews of books by Bestor and related correspondence; speeches and papers read (1927-60) at public or professional meetings, including programs and clippings; syllabi and teaching notes (1930-61); copies of student theses directed (1948-60); educational controversy material (1952-59), including clippings, reviews, editorials and pamphlets on Bestor's championship of basic intellectual education and opposition to "life adjustment;" correspondence (1923-62) with Bestor family, professors, administrators, educators, public figures, publishers, librarians, teachers, students and the public concerning research on Backwoods Utopias, education, publications, meetings, speeches, awards, Harmsworth Professorship (Oxford), history departments, faculty recruitment, Council for Basic Education interviews, public affairs, Illinois Historical Survey, student theses and academic freedom. The series includes the papers (12.6 cu. ft.) of Arthur E. Bestor, Sr. (1879-1944), Director (1907-15) and President of Chicago (1896-1934), the Committee on Public Information (1917-20), Lake Placid Club (1920-43), adult education (1921-42) and Town Hall (1935-44).